Cuvee-Brut - Brouwerij Liefmans

starkmarvelo

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Liefman's Cuvée Brut

A- deep clear red with a good amount of carbonation. Lose 1 &1/2 finger head like champagne.

Smell- smells of ripe sweet cherries. Almost kool aid like with a sweet floral smell.

T- just before the first sip, there's a rose pedal/sweet floral taste followed by cherries and a tartness not from the fruit. The only thing keeping me from believing that this isnt a beer is the slight bitterness with the cherry and very light malt flavor towards the end. I'm also getting a bit of mint at the end too.

M-bubbly, dry and crisp.

O- excellent fruit beer. Lots of cherries, not cloying at all. Well balanced and complex. I was really digging that sweet flower smell/taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 02:01:47 | More by starkmarvelo

david131

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a dark and slightly murky reddish brown with a thin but creamy off0white head. Not all that interesting, but not bad.

S- Very pungent cherries with a bit of vanilla. A bit medicinal with a bit of acid. Very intriguing.

T- Sweet and acidic cherries, a bit medicinal. There is a unique flavor that I am having trouble putting my finger on. Overall, the cherry aspect is amazing and overrides any problems I find in it.

M- Sweet and slightly tart with a clean finish.

O- A very tasty Belgian beer at a nice price point. Definitely worth splitting a 750. Would make for a nice dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 04:04:16 | More by david131

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Max's in Baltimore. I loved this beer.... fruit beers can be hit or miss for me but this one was on spot. A nice tart, cherry beer with tons of flavor and a nice well balanced, smooth taste. Drink it way too quickly and could have easily ordered a few more pints. Haven't delved into the foreign beers too much, but after trying this I just might have to.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 22:20:57 | More by marlinsfan4

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Rattle N Hum in New York, NY

A: Pours a clear light to medium brown in color with lots of garnet red highlights and some light visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall fizzy pinkish red head that reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant lacing is observed.

S: There are moderate to strong aromas of sweet cherries and sour cherries along with some vinous notes and some light funkiness.

T: The beer has a light amount of sweetness that balances out with the sour cherries, vinous notes, and slight syrupy sugar sweetness.

M: Light bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly prickly on the tongue.

O: Very nice, there is a good balance between the sweetness of the cherries and the sourness/funkiness. Enjoyable and easy to drink, I think of it more of a sipping beer than a sessionable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2012 16:59:24 | More by dbrauneis

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ST: 750 poured into a tulip.

A: Dark brown-red (it looks like ice tea) with a think white head that vanishes quickly. It does not leave very much lacing.

S: Strong sour, juicy cherry aroma with a bit of funk.

T: Starts with very sweet cherry but it finishes tart and sour with a refreshing zing of carbonation.

M: Light and zingy

O: While it can be very sweet at times, the alcohol, carbonation, and tart, sour flavor balances out this wonderful summer and salad companion. Ripe cherries pour from the glass, and its mouthfeel is light and slightly spritzy (it would work well in some sort of beer cocktail). If you are not in the mood for something light and sweeter, you should stay clear. If, however, you are in the mood for such a beer, this would be such a beer worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 18:38:26 | More by ianjsullivan

rlee1390

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Deep clear ruby red, two finger bubbly head

S-Funk, cherries and a touch of oak.

T-Nothing like the nose, lots of sweet cherries, more sweet than sour, not much tartness. Not a sour beer at all.

M-Light in body and well carbonated.

O-Overly sweet, not much sourness/tartness.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 22:43:30 | More by rlee1390

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a nice fruity blend here. pours fairly clear, half way between red and brown in color, with a small off white fizzy head. smells intensely like cherries, some notes of oak and brown sugar too, but primarily a tart cherry nose. flavor is very different from other fruit beers ive had. starts off with a one or two second blast of almost artificial cherry, like a red jolly rancher candy. that sugary sensation fades to a lambic sour/tartness, and then finishes with some notes of vanilla and molasses. very cool flavor journey. feel is nice, very tart and acidic in the mouth, strong carbonation and a body that hovers in the medium range. not sure i would drink a lot of these, but it was neat to try. definitely one of the finer fruit forward beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 16:07:07 | More by StonedTrippin

phiberoptik

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cork imprinted with 2011.

Pours a rust red color with an off white champagne bubbling that dissipates quickly leaving just a ring of small bubbles.

Sour, funky, dried fruit. Tart cherries with a musty barnyard finish.

No hiding the tart cherries in the taste. Lingering candy cherry flavor with a pleasantly funky finish.

Thin, prickly, and satisfying.

This is a great treat of a beer. An experience in a bottle. While I wouldnt drink this often, its definitely something to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 00:46:13 | More by phiberoptik

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

At one point, the Liefmans Kriek was basically my everyday beer. Then they had that whole bankruptcy thing, or whatever, and the supply got interrupted, and blah blah. Needless to say, I am always up for anything Liefmans.

Flavor profile is what I expect for Liefmans. Sweet, but just sweet enough and not too syrupy (though slightly so). Very smooth feel. Way too easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 05:16:28 | More by RblWthACoz

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A paper-wrapped, corked & caged 750 mL bottle; from the Ommegang general store. In a snifter.

A: The ale is dark, red colors standing out amongst the brown, let's call it a crimson color all things told. A white head, closer to off-white, is a wispy band.

S: The nose has sour cherries, soft with an aroma that could pass for apple butter. The tartnes isn't biting, just a pleasant aspect hanging over everything.

T: Cherries, sweet and sour upfront, set the tone for the entire beer. As the tartness ebbs, darker malts stand in, carrying the load. Oak adds flavor, vanilla sublety. Very low in alcohol, an added bonus after that last train wreck. The sweet bite of the sour cherries is divine, a well-made Belgian ale.

M: Well carbonated with the apple butter bite of sour cherries. A good pairing with flank steak tonight - delicious. An excellent offering from Liefmans.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 23:11:39 | More by akorsak

RossLaird

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a belgian tulip glass. Pours an almost-but-not-quite opaque dark maroon with a cream colored head about an inch and an half that dissipates rather quickly.

The nose is dominated by the cherries. My first impression was of a freshly opened roll of shocktarts.

Again, the cherry is the dominant character. The taste is boldly sweet at first and turns almost instantly tart. A bit of oak flavor and belgian yeast. Dark grapes come through on the finish leaving a dryness reminiscent of champagne.

Carbonation is strong, but perfectly so.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 04:03:56 | More by RossLaird

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is dominated by wonderfully tart cherries and nothing else. Not a bad thing, just one-note.

Appearance comes across as a very dark ruby when held to the light, but in normal light it just looks brown. The head is slightly pink, and somewhat soapy in nature. Lacing seems to be pretty good.

When tasting, there is a kind of big sweetness right up front that quickly paves a road to cherry flavors and ends with a puckering tartness.

Moderate body and highly carbonated with a fairly dry finish, this beer is easy to drink and not too strong, if you can take the sourness.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 05:01:20 | More by tlazaroff

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a bottle of this down in Total Wine in DE. Came corked & caged with a red paper wrapping. On top of the cage said "12-2020". Seems like I could have let this one age quite a bit.

A: Pours a clear cranberry red with pinkish head that hangs in there a bit. Some particles evident but mostly clear. Great presentation with the packaging!

S: Smells of tart cherry, some funk - a little barnyard like, and a nice dosage of wood.

T: Tastes of mostly tart cherry with a bit of puckering sweetness at the end. Has an oak quality to it as well, but the sour cherry notes dominate.

M: Nice & spritzy like. Ample carbonation gives it an effervescent feel. Feels medium to medium-light. Sour notes throughout. Alcohol seems subdued at 6%.

O: I'm still getting into sours and I found this one a treat. Great tart cherry notes that aren't too overpowering with a nice bit of oak and funk. Glad to have tried.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 01:26:16 | More by jwhancher

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Beer Deluxe. 2010 on the cork.

A - Pours a dark brown, almost black. Red edges. One finger of beige head. No lace and a ring of retention.

S - Sweeter fruits with cherry. A very mild sourness and some woody notes.

T - Wood, sourness, and tons of sweet cherry. Not close to a natural Kriek Lambic due to the sweetness, but interesting nonetheless. Quite a bit of sweetness but you can tell the Oud Bruin elements are there, but the fresh cherry is evident.

M - Strong carbonation, medium body and a clean finish with dryness but a cherry flavour that lingers a bit.

O/D - Not too bad. Not as sour as I'd hope, probably b/c of the fresh cherry and cherry juice. The Oud Bruin element is subdued compared to the sweetness but it's still a tasty beer. Just not something I'd reach for before an Oud Bruin or Oud Kriek or the like.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 10:09:35 | More by tbeckett

Cresant

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured this 750 mL green bottle (paper wrapped) into a Lindemans flute glass. Corked with wire, coded 12 012303. 08-2020 LFK. Cork said 2010.

The beer was deep ruby-caramel color with a pinkish head. Modest lacing remained.

The smell was cherries. Cherries, cherries, and cherry pie.

The taste was prickly tart cherries and light grain. Sweetness but only enough to keep it from being one dimensional. Drying finish.

The mouthfeel was medium to full bodied. Plenty of carbonation - rich and scrubbing - but not too much. Nice. Overall even better than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 22:40:02 | More by Cresant

Brenden

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I tried this at an event along with Goudenband and Fruitesse. Notes are recent and thorough.

A brown-tinged crimson brew in the glass develops a cap of pink head, thick and rich. It fades off a little quickly but leaves a compact foam that drops spotty lacing behind it.
I'm glad I got a chance at a sample recently because the first bottle I ever tried had definite band-aid in it. This time, it's all tart and sweet cherries, a bit of wood, just a bit of acidity that isn't too harsh and adds a nice complexity and gentle sourness, and something dry and wine-like. The flavor brings out a bit more of a creamy sweetness than the nose. The dry woodiness is really nice and reminds me of a good red, though stopping short of the beauty of, say, a Russian River sour.
The body is on the light side of medium, crisp and well-carbonated but smooth, flowing nicely.
This is a very nice fruit beer. I wondered at first is the base was a Lambic. Either way, a tasty beer, though the price keeps me away.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 18:44:39 | More by Brenden

ehammond1

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Dark red brick in color with a very thin, though creamy, off-white head. The beer eventually leaves dots of stick down the glass. Appropriate and pretty.

The aroma is a wonderfully pleasant combination of fresh, authentic, plump cherry juice and just a bit of the skin. There's a hint of yeast character, but the fruit dominates and smells quite nice.

The flavor is both sweet and very slightly sour, with fresh cherry juice dominating most of the flavor. There's some earth and wood character in the background, along with a bit of biscuit, though the sweetness drowns much of this out.

Thin to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. A joy to drink.

A very nice, somewhat sweet, cherry beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 17:10:04 | More by ehammond1

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cuvee-Brut from a 750ml bottle into tulip glasses.

Pours a dark raspberry red-brown with a lacing off-white head.

Smells like a cherry cordial. Tart and liqueur-y. A bit of oak and sour raspberry notes, as well. A little wild. Balanced sweetness.

Very similar to some Krieks that I've had, but this one has a rich Oud Bruin base that brings some other dark viny fruits to the table in supplement to the cherry. Hints of raspberry and lemonade. The cherries are tart and a tad medicinal, but authentic. There's an appreciated burly woody character to this brew that starts with vanilla and ends with a bite of the bark. Puckery with a prick of acetic acid, but more reminiscent of a tangy tart fruit.

Light for what it is. I wouldn't say refreshing, but quenching. Nice tartness evolves into bitterness. Okay on the effervescence. Not protruding nor underwhelming.

Big time guilty pleasure for me right here. Gotta rank among my favorite fruit beers. Mysterious enough to keep savoring, yet easy to enjoy now and even up to a year after the bottling date.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 03:10:42 | More by thecheapies

wesbrownyeah

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brouwerij Liefmans Curvee-Brut Fruit Beer 6.0% alcohol. Contains a cherry infused aged beer 18 months to 3 years, blended with different vintages for flavor. Poured from corked and caged 750ml bottle to Ommegang Goblet

A- Pours a brownish red fluid with murky darkness when held to a bright source of light. Very unactive head falls before it starts leaving a 1/8 of an inch ring around the glass. With a swirl or drink of this on show some sign of lacing but not much.

S- Rich scent of fresh cut cherries and sweet brown sugar dominate the nose with slight hints of alcoholic fumes and malt.

T-M- Upfront I'm not much of a fan of fruit beers Lambic or non Lambic but this on is not bad at all. First off is a huge kick of sweet cherry flavor that almost sours before you realize its sweet... strange but a complex factor to its mixture. From the scent of this beer you wouldn't expect that its pushing a bold malt backbone but a smooth almost nutty maltiness which is noted when this one sits on the tongue. Finishs with a tightly carbonated sweet roll over the buds.

Overall I enjoyed tring this one especially after having the Goundenband last week. I boast incredibly fresh flavors making you think you just had off the vine picked sweeted cherries, but also enough malt to make it have beer blended in... Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 03:35:46 | More by wesbrownyeah

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Liefmans Cuvee Brut from notes

A- Dark ruby red pour with a slight muddy appearance to it. Two finger foamy white head with a slight pink tinge. Lacing is excellent.

S- Cherries, cherries and more cherries, candied sugar with a slight oak and vanilla. Literally smells like cherry pie. Slightly medicinal.

T- Super tart cherry, with a quick sweet finish.

M- Medium bodied with very lively carbonation. Mouth watering and puckering.

O- Just wonderful kriek with just enough sweetness to keep.your tongue going to finish the whoke bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 18:59:23 | More by korguy123

SuperInga

New York

4.4/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Slightly cloudy, tawny port hue; light, crisp carbonation.

Smell - Strong cherry scent with a hint of wood.

Taste - Semi-sweet cherry with a nice tart aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Cidery with a little syrup, but still very refreshing.

Overall - Delicious kriek. An excellent compromise between supersweet Lindemans and champagne-dry Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek, bearing in mind that this is not a lambic proper.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 06:47:23 | More by SuperInga

plfahey

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a wine glass.

Appearance-Deep ruby red with good clarity. Solid pale pink cap of foam floats on top and shows good retention and nice lacing.

Aroma-Sweet, tart black cherries with an underlying earthy aroma to it. Cherry pie. Extremely “real” cherry aroma, doesn’t smell artificial like some krieks that I’ve had. Blackberries and raspberries are also notable.

Flavor- Sweet Cherries up front with blackberries not far behind. Ripe stone fruits, almost a bit like pluots. Tart cherry in the midpalate and a bit earthy in the finish. The aftertaste still has boasts sour cherry flavors but is quite dry, and even a little bit funky. Cherry flavors are complex and quite tasty.

Mouthfeel-Medium body with soft, moderate carbonation. Smooth and refreshing

Delicious cherry flavor is multi-layered and quite complex. Tart, refreshing, and all around awesome. This is what krieks should aspire to.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 06:08:54 | More by plfahey

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy amber to brown-ish color with a small white head. In the aroma, mellow sour cherries. In the taste, sour dark cherries and quite fantastic. A sour bite and a medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel with a light dry cherry in the aftertaste. Sour cherries and loved it!

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 14:28:09 | More by OWSLEY069

Wildman

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured a very dark clear amber color and formed an off white slightly pink foamy head that coated that glass with lace as it subsided. A heavy amount of carbonation. An aroma of malt, cherries and chocolate. A flavor of malt, cherries and chocolate. The body is fairly light and the finish sweet yet sprite. Some astringency helps give it a champagne type aspect.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 01:46:28 | More by Wildman

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a cloudy reddish brown color with good carbonation and a dirty white cap

S: Sour cherries, wood and Earthy notes

T: Nicesour cherry blast, woody and some Earthy notes. Very much cherry forward and mild on the sourness; for my liking anyways.

M: Well carbonated, medium body, dry and tart finish

O: Not to bad, good for the style

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2011 18:06:24 | More by barleywinefiend